Paris’s Louvre museum said on Thursday, November 27, it would raise ticket prices for most non-EU visitors, meaning US, British and Chinese tourists among others will have to pay $37 to get in.
The museum told Agence France-Presse (AFP) the 45% price hike aims to boost annual revenues by up to $23 million to fund structural improvements at the world’s most-visited art museum, which is reeling from the daylight theft of priceless treasures last month.
From 2026, visitors from outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway will have to pay €32 – an extra €10 – from January 14, the museum and staff unions said after the measure was approved at a museum board meeting.
I usually agree with this point but it does create an awkward spot for museums with a lot of international exhibits. Like, you did a colonialism, stole my peoples stuff, brought it back here, and are now charging me extra to see it? Idk how you get around that, except maybe returning the stuff I guess.
Yea returning the stuff and allowing the origin countries profit off it would be nice. We lose a lot of history to war torn countries tho. Preservation has a cost and its own logistics. If you knew the item would be pawned off or destroyed; morally I’d like the history with someone who has the resources to preserve it and share it with as many as possible. International travelers can probably afford the hit. Presuming the effected people you describe can afford to travel.
I recall this being discussed a while back after yet another overzealous regime destroyed some of their culture and heritage; preserving this history under capable custody would have been beneficial for everyone. I get it’s complicated but for the most part these well run long lived museums in stable countries provide a great service to humanity.